Iran won't give up uranium enrichment - Russian diplomat
MOSCOW. Feb 19 (Interfax) - Iran will not give up uranium enrichment, as this is a sacred subject for the country, Vladimir Voronkov, Russia's permanent representative at international organizations in Vienna, said in an interview that the Kommersant publishing house posted on its website on Wednesday.
"It is very important to understand the ideological component of Iran's approach to nuclear energy. It is safe to say that this concept is sacred to Iranian society. Iran's arguments essentially draw a parallel between the existence of a sovereign Iranian state and the right to enrich uranium. Therefore, all work with Iran should be done with the clear understanding that Tehran will not give up its right to enrich" uranium, Voronkov said.
"The right to peaceful enrichment confirmed by the international community after the UN Security Council lifts the sanctions may become a key factor in overcoming Iran's trend toward self-isolation," he said.
"If my logic is right, it is important for the P5+1 group to switch from the current defensive or, to be more precise, prohibitory policy in relation to Iran to an offensive policy of involving Iranians in common peaceful nuclear activity. I'd like to remind you that there is a successful record of international nuclear cooperation with Iran - I mean the construction of the first and so far the only Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr. It shows that, when the matter is approached in the right way, no questions arise regarding nonproliferation. By the way, I'd point out that the UN Security Council resolutions do not ban cooperation on light-water reactors with Iran," he said.
"It would be wrong to miss the chance for a long-term settlement of the situation. We all need a predictable Iran when it comes to nuclear matters. Therefore, it is important now not to bargain on technicalities but ensure stable implementation of the steps stipulated in the Geneva plan and simultaneously start a discussion on a long-term and comprehensive settlement. It will not be easy, but I am sure that we can do this, provided that there is political will," he said.
"As for the lifting of the UN Security Council sanctions, it is important to bear in mind that an IAEA conclusion on the absence of undeclared nuclear material and undeclared nuclear activity on Iranian territory will be among the decisive reasons for the UN Security Council," he said.
"I mean a so-called broad conclusion. Judging by the record of other countries in relation to which such a conclusion has been made, this is quite a multilayered process that could well take several years. However, everything here depends on the parties' willingness to act quickly and efficiently. After the IAEA makes such a conclusion, there will be no grounds for preserving the sanctions," he said.
"In this context, unlike unilateral sanctions, the step-by-step principle is hardly suitable. If the IAEA has no doubts regarding the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program, which is exactly what the IAEA should acknowledge in its broad conclusion, the UN Security Council will have no reasons to extend the sanctions against Iran, and all sanctions imposed earlier may be lifted simultaneously," Voronkov said.
The United States and Russia have the same positions on fundamental aspects of the Iranian nuclear program.
"We, as well as the U.S., are categorically against unsettling the nonproliferation regime. Iran possessing a nuclear bomb is an unacceptable option for us. True, the same can be said regarding other non-nuclear states," he said.
"Sharing the approach on the fundamental matters with the U.S., we at the same time consider it wrong that our cooperation on this track should be reduced to the friendship-against-someone formula, which is quite common in international relations. Our duty is to make sure together with the international community that Iran strictly adheres to international law. This is exactly why we have always been against unilateral sanctions, which in fact may cause the problem of Iran leaving the legal framework," Voronkov said.